It's time for many if not most regions to ramp up region play. A brief synopsis of the region races involving East Valley and Northeast Valley schools follows each conference's schedule for the week. This is also the week many schools at the five-game mark had transfers who sat are now eligible to play the remainder of the season.

 

6A

Perry (4-1) at Boulder Creek ((2-2)

Alhambra (1-4) at Brophy Prep (4-1)

Mountain Ridge (0-5) at Chaparral (3-1)

Chandler (3-1) at Desert Ridge (3-2)

Dobson (1-4) at Hamilton (2-3)

Desert Vista (4-0) at Highland (5-0)

Queen Creek (4-1) at Mountain Pointe (2-2)

Mesa (2-3) at Mountain View (1-4)

Basha (4-1) at Red Mountain (4-1)

Westwood (3-2) at Skyline (1-4)

Pinnacle (3-1) at Valley Vista (3-1)

Corona del Sol (1-4) at Westview (2-2)

Central Region: Two of the four unbeaten teams in the conference square off and just happen to be in the same region -- Desert Vista-Highland. Highland has played arguably a more challenging schedule to this point. Mountain Pointe and Queen Creek are certainly contenders for the region title and will be there at  the end when region wars conclude. The Central is a three-team race. As for the Desert Vista-Highland matchup, if it's anything like last year's fans are in for a treat.The teams went to two overtimes before Highland prevailed 24-21. Highland is the more experienced team, particularly at the skill positions and its line play has been outstanding to date. Desert Vista's Tyson Grubbs has emerged as the go-to back from last year's massive backfield by committee. Queen Creek gets a second chance against one of the mainstays of 6A in its visit to Mountain Pointe. Queen Creek ran out of gas late  against Chandler in its only loss. These teams appear to be on equal footing. Both teams have seasoned offenses and the team playing better defense likely prevails. East Valley Region: Red Mountain is clearly the favorite and was in preseason. Skyline and Mountain View have given Red Mountain a run for the region lately, but this may not be the year they'll do that. Desert Valley Region: It's Pinnacle's region to win and the contenders are Liberty and Chaparral. Pinnacle plays those schools back-to-back Oct. 12 and Oct. 19 at Pinnacle. Liberty has a way of playing top-tier teams tough -- such as Centennial when it was in 5A in recent years. Liberty is one of the four unbeaten thus far in 6A (Tucson High the other). Premier Region: No region games have been played yet and won't be until next week. With only five teams in the region only four weeks are needed to complete region play. Chandler is the favorite, Perry a bit behind and Brophy Prep an interesting study along with Basha to this point. Basha and Brophy will have to prove tehmselves worthy of postseason by winning a couple region games. Ditto Hamilton which is strugglng on defense, but its losses are to good offensive teams Mountain Pointe, Chaparral and Highland.

5A

Notre Dame Prep (5-0) at Cactus Shadows (2-3)

McClintock (3-2) at Desert Mountain (0-5)

Campo Verde (5-0) at Gilbert (3-2)

Higley (4-1) at Maricopa (4-1)

North Canyon (2-3) at Paradise Valley (3-1)

Casteel (4-1) at Williams Field (4-1)

San Tan Region: Have to say it's a crapshoot among Williams Field, Higley and Casteel. No disrespect to Campo Verde, one of three teams in 5A unbeaten to this point, but the one-dimensional Coyotes will have to rely on ball control to compete with the top three. Maricopa and and Gilbert also have winning records so far, but staying up with  the top three will be a challenge.The first major skirmish is this week with Casteel-Williams Field. Williams Field is the defending region champ and Casteel wants to prove its on the right track with four huge wins after taking a lesson from Centennial in its opener. Northeast Valley Region: This is a seven-team region so region play began last week. Winners were Notre Dame, Horizon and Cactus Shadows. Notre Dame has put a stamp on the claim as region favorite with its non-region play and opening region win over Desert Mountain last week to the tune of a 5-0 record. Don't discount Horizon, which lost its first three games to playoff-caliber teams Marana, Higley and 6A Pinnacle and is better than its 2-3 record. The game to look for is Oct. 5 when Notre Dame visits Horizon. 

4A

Shadow Mountain (1-3) at Apache Junction (2-2)

Moon Valley (1-3) at Marcos de Niza (1-3)

Seton Catholic (4-0) at Mesquite (2-3)

Arcadia (5-0) at Saguaro (4-1)

Cortez (0-4) at Tempe (2-2)

Combs (0-4) at Vista Grande (2-3)

Desert Sky Region: Saguaro is where it usually is this time of year and should have no trouble posting an unbeaten region mark. Saguaro opened the season with a region win over Poston Butte, 48-3. The Sabercats face 5-0 Arcadia this week, which is making a nice bounce back after an 0-10 foray last year in 5A. Arcadia may be able to hold its own with the rest of the region - unbeaten Seton, Mesquite, Marcos de Niza and Poston Butte. Seton and Mesquite may reside in the upper half of the region race at season's end. Black Canyon Region: This is a non-geographic, competitively balance region. Apache Junction and Combs are the lone schools from the East Valley in six-team setup. The top team in the region so far is Glendale with a 4-0 record -- all non-region games. AJ won the region last year while Glendale won a 5A region last year and has moved down. Washington, Dysart and Cortez comprise the rest of the region. Unlike 6A and 5A, region champs in 4A, 3A, 2A,m and 1A earn automatic playoff berths. Region play does not begin in the Black Canyon until next week. Figures to be a three-team race among Glendale, AJ and Washington for region supremacy. Skyline Region: Tempe High is the lone East Valley school in this region which also contains Greenway, St. Mary's, Moon Valley, Thunderbird and Shadow Mountain. Region play begins next week.   

3A

American Leadership- QC (3-2) at American Leadership-Gilbert (2-3)

Tanque Verde (1-3) at Arizona College Prep (0-4)

Coolidge (4-1) at Catalina (1-3)

Wickenburg (3-1) at Coronado (0-4)

Safford (1-3) at Florence (0-4)

Pusch Ridge (1-3) at Fountain Hills (2-2)

American Leadership-Ironwood (1-4) at Gilbert Christian (0-4)

Benjamin Franklin (3-2) at Sabino (2-2)

San Tan Foothills (2-2)  at Sahuarita (3-1)

Northwest Christian (3-1) at Valley Christian (2-2)

3A region play has started in only one of three regions housing East Valley and Northeast Valley schools: those regions are Metro East, Central and Metro West. Metro East contains American Leadership-Gilbert, Fountain Hills, Az College Prep, Coronado and Gilbert Christian. American leadership-Gilbert is ineligible for postseason. Metro West consists of Valley Chriistian with Yuma Catholic, Odyssey Institute, Paradise Honors and Bourgade. Central Region consists of  American Leadership-QC, Benjamin Franklin, San Tan Foothills, Florence, Coolidge and American Leadershiip-Ironwood.  Americain Leadership-QC is ineligible for postseason.  

 

2A

Miami (2-2) at Chandler Prep (3-2)

Trivium Prep (5-0) at Scottsdale Prep (3-0)

Scottsdale Christian (3-1) at Tempe Prep (2-3)

2A region play begins Sept. 28. Three 2A regions have East Valley or Northeast Valley schools as members -- Gila Region has Chandler Prep and Tempe Prep, Salt Region has Scottsdale Prep and  Agua Fria Region has Scottsdale Christian. Chandler Prep and Tempe Prep appear to be the top two teams in the 2A Gila, which also has Miami, Globe,San Carlos and San Manuel. Scottsdale Prep will likely battle North Pointe Prep for region honors in the Salt Region. Also in the Salt Region are Veritas Prep, Antelope, Sedona Red Rock and Valley Lutheran. Scottsdale Christian will have its hands full with Arizona Lutheran and Phoenix Chrisitan in the Agua Fria Region.